Questions about King David, second king of Israel.

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Why was Abishag the Shunammite important?

When we shift from Samuel to Kings, we start with this fairly benign story: King David was now old, advanced in years; and though they covered him with bedclothes, he never felt warm. His ...
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3answers
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To what extent is Psalm 51:4 poetic exaggeration?

The context of Psalm 51 is clear: To the choirmaster. A psalm of David, when Nathan the prophet went to him, after he had gone in to Bathsheba. These events are described in 2nd Samuel ...
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1answer
71 views

When did separation between Israel and Judah happen?

Before the First Book of Kings there was only one nation - Israel named after Jacob (whose other name was Israel and who was called the Father of Israel). But in the Second Book of Kings it is not ...
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David and Goliath: David's Reasons For Fighting

From 1 Samuel 17: 23 As he was talking with them, Goliath, the Philistine champion from Gath, stepped out from his lines and shouted his usual defiance, and David heard it. 24 Whenever the ...
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Can we harmonize the two meetings of David and Saul?

My daily reading reached the moment when Samuel anointed David, which is followed immediately by the first meeting of Saul and David: Now the spirit of the Lord had departed from Saul, and an evil ...
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1answer
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Evil spirit from God (I Samuel 16:14) [closed]

After David is anointed as king over Israel, I Samuel 16:14 says that an evil spirit from God was sent to torment Saul. Throughout the following chapters, this/these evil spirit(s) plays a rather ...
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3answers
214 views

Is David the Godfather?

As David neared the end of his life, he calls Solomon to himself and gives him some final instructions recorded in 1 Kings 2:1-10. It starts out how you'd maybe expect, with David admonishing Solomon ...
6
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501 views

Why did David advise Solomon to kill Joab? [duplicate]

Possible Duplicate: Is David the Godfather? Joab was a loyal captain in charge for King David and he won lot of battles for his king. He had also risked his life in many occasions for the ...
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36 views

Why did David advise Solomon to kill Joab [duplicate]

Possible Duplicate: Why did David advise Solomon to kill Joab? Joab was a loyal captain in charge for King David He won lot of battles for his king. He had also risked his life in many ...
5
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1answer
885 views

Why does David mourn the death of his adult son Absalom and not the death of his baby son?

When David's son from Bathsheba died David stopped mourning and got up and ate, stating that nothing could be done for his son now: [21] Then his servants said to him, “What is this thing that you ...
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1answer
107 views

What does it mean that "David eluded him twice?

Shortly after Saul takes David into his service, we read: The next day an evil spirit of God gripped Saul and he began to rave in the house, while David was playing [the lyre], as he did daily. ...
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102 views

Temple in Psalm 138

The first verse of Psalm 138 is clearly stating David as author of the Psalm. In verse 2 it says: I will bow down toward your holy temple and will praise your name for your unfailing love and your ...
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Who incited David to take a census?

According to 2 Samuel 24:1 (NRSV) Again the anger of the Lord was kindled against Israel, and he incited David against them, saying, "Go, count the people of Israel and Judah." But according to ...
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Why is David's throne established by so much deceit?

This question made note that David acts in a deceitful manner towards the priest when he goes to ask for help as he flees from Saul. This isn't the only time, however, that deceit is a feature in ...
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1answer
128 views

David's Brinkmanship with the Philistines at Apheq

In I Sam 28 Achish enlists David in his forces for the coming battle between the Princes of Philistine and the Israelites in which Saul meets his end. David's words to Achish are ambiguous, leaving us ...
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1answer
155 views

How did David trick Achish?

I got to this section this week and I feel like I'm missing something: David and his men went up and raided the Geshurites, the Gizrites, and the Amalekites—who were the inhabitants of the ...
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1answer
260 views

Why did David and Jonathan need the arrow signal?

Just before David left Saul's service for the last time, he and Jonathan arraigned a way to communicate with one another in code: Jonathan, out of his love for David, adjured him again, for he ...
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1answer
236 views

Was Goliath killed twice?

In 2 Samuel, we are told that Goliath was killed by Elhanan: 19 In another battle with the Philistines at Gob, Elhanan son of Jaare-Oregim the Bethlehemite killed Goliath the Gittite, who had a ...
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276 views

Jesus's genealogy: 28 generations or 41 since David?

These questions keep me wondering: Firstly, how is it possible that Matthew and Luke came up with completely different genealogies of Jesus ancestors, if they are both following the masculine line? ...
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235 views

David's righteousness in the Psalms

In the Psalms, there are several places where David portrays himself as righteous and blameless. For example, Psalm 26: 1Vindicate me, O Lord, for I have walked in my integrity, and I have ...
7
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1answer
259 views

Did David keep household idols?

The biblical account of David's first escape from Saul in 1 Sam 19 mentions that his wife Michal camouflaged his escape by hiding an "image" (KJV) or a "household idol" (NASB) in his bed. Is that to ...